May 16, 2018 at 7:00 AM
Cup of Coffee: Crawford in control; Renda powers Sea Dogs
5/16 Cup of Coffee: Portland's veterans, an emerging Greenville righty, and wet weather were the stories on Tuesday. Recently signed minor league free agent Tony Renda had a five-hit day between two Portland contests, the second of which was suspended due to rain. He got help from Jantzen Witte and Chad De La Guerra, who rejoined Portland from Pawtucket in the last week, and 2017 minor league Rule 5 pick Luke Tendler. Meanwhile, Kutter Crawford (pictured) continued to solidify himself as one of the top performers in the organization in 2018. Pawtucket and Salem were washed out, and will try again tomorrow.
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Pawtucket Red Sox vs. Buffalo Bisons (TOR), PPD rain
Rain and wet field conditions made McCoy Field unplayable Tuesday evening. The teams are set to play their regularly scheduled contest on Wednesday, and will make up the rain out when Buffalo returns in mid-June.
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The Sea Dogs rudely greeted rehabbing Jerad Eickhoff on their way to an 11-hit romp. Jantzen Witte led the charge in his third game since rejoining Portland, compiling eight total bases in three at-bats with a homer and a pair of doubles. Tony Renda and Luke Tendler added a double apiece as part of 2-for-4 efforts. Matthew Kent allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings to notch the win, and Trevor Kelley struck out a pair in a perfect seventh to notch the save in the first game of a doubleheader.
Reading took a two-run lead in the top of the ninth inning of the scheduled seventh-inning contest before the rains kicked in and forced the game to be suspended. Renda had picked up another three hits in the contest, giving him five on the day, while Witte also notched another base hit. Chad De La Guerra blasted a second-inning grand slam, part of a nightcap in which he is currently 3 for 5 with five RBI. Dedgar Jimenez allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five.
The game will be complete on Wednesday at 11:45 preceding Portland's regularly scheduled series finale against Reading.
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Salem Red Sox at Potomac Nationals (WAS), PPD rain
The weather succeeded where Carolina League pitchers have failed: halting Santiago Espinal. The shortstop will try to extend his 12-game hitting streak on Wednesday as part of a doubleheader.
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Kutter Crawford continues his breakout campaign with another outstanding outing for the Drive. The 2017 16th round draft pick struck out eight without issuing a walk over five innings, giving him 52 punchouts in 41 2/3 innings this season. The only blemish against Crawford on Tuesday was a solo home run in the second inning, the first round tripper he has surrendered this year. Crawford threw 48 of his 64 pitches for strikes (75%). At the plate, Marino Campana blasted his fifth homer of the season, while Everlouis Lozada added a double as part of his two-hit evening.
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Player of the Day: A second-round pick in 2012, Tony Renda is already in his fifth organization. The 27-year-old has given the Portland offense a big boost since joining the organization in the beginning of May. With two hits in the opener and three already in the incomplete nightcap, Renda now sports an 11-game hitting streak, during which he is 23 for 46.
Photo Credit: Kutter Crawford by Kelly O'Connor
Photo Credit: Kutter Crawford by Kelly O'Connor